‘I want to play as long as I can’: Patrick Mahomes ponders what it takes to play as long as Tom Brady

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes turned 27 years old two weeks ago, so reaching age 45 is still nearly two decades away. But he sees Tom Brady playing successfully at that age and said this week he would like to give playing at 45 a shot too, as long as he’s playing well enough to make himself happy.

“I want to play as long as I can play and I can still have a chance to help the team get better,” said Mahomes, who will face Brady for the sixth time on Sunday night when the Kansas City Chiefs face Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa.

“Obviously, it’s hard to play until you’re 45 years old, and I don’t want to be out there just hanging on, and I think you see what Tom is, that he’s still playing at a very high level, and I think that that’s why it’s hard for him to give it up when you’re playing at a high level,” Mahomes said. “So, for me, I’m going to try to keep my body in the best shape possible, and as long as they let me play and I can play at a high level, I’ll be out there.”

Mahomes is 2-3 against Brady, including 1-2 when Brady was playing for the New England Patriots. Brady has the two biggest wins, a 37-31 victory with the Patriots in the 2018 AFC Championship Game and a 31-9 rout over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

Mahomes said he envies Brady’s success on and off the field.

“It’s special to see the things that he’s done in this league, the way he’s able to change the position [with] longevity and great success,” Mahomes said. “That’s the crazy part. I mean, if you look at his career, there’s never been really a down year. He’s always been great and had a great season and found ways to get even better. He’s done stuff off the field that hasn’t impacted him on the field, but still made his legacy even greater.”

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